This NC Beer Garden Was Just Named The Best By USA Today Readers

NORTH CAROLINA — Spring is here, and beer drinkers in North Carolina have one more thing to be thankful for this year. The Raleigh Bear Garden in Raleigh was named the best place in the nation to drink beer outdoors, according to USA Today readers.

The timing couldn't be better. While the pandemic still makes socializing at local bars and pubs tricky, the beer garden opens up much broader possibilities for social distancing while imbibing.

(And, thanks to the easing up of coronavirus restrictions throughout the state Friday, breweries are now allowed up to 75 percent capacity indoors and up to 100 percent outdoors.)

SEE ALSO: Mass Gathering, Capacity Limits To Ease In New NC Executive Order

USA Today tasked a team of beer connoisseurs and taste experts to nominate beer gardens across the nation that are worthy of being highly regarded on 10Best.com. Four North Carolina Beer Gardens, including The Charlotte Beer Garden and VBGB Beer Hall and Garden in Charlotte made the leaderboard.

Then, USA Today readers took the wheel, deciding which hometown or neighborhood beer garden should be one of the Top 10.

Here are the final results announced Friday:
1. The Raleigh Beer Garden — Raleigh, North Carolina
2. New Realm Brewing Company — Virginia Beach, Virginia
3. The Charlotte Beer Garden — Charlotte, North Carolina
4. Tucker Brewing — Tucker, Georgia
5. Saint Arnold Brewing Company — Houston, Texas
6. Funkatorium Biergarten — Asheville, North Carolina
7. VBGB Beer Hall and Garden — Charlotte, North Carolina
8. Lowry Beer Garden — Denver, Colorado
9. Dacha Beer Garden — Washington, D.C.
10. The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden — Nashville, Tennessee

Read more about the USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice award here.

SEE ALSO:

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• Free Krispy Kreme In NC? Just Show Your Vaccination Card
• Pedestrian Deaths Increase In NC During Pandemic’s Early Days